


In Loving Memory

by Demenior



Series: Uliro Week [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien POV, Canon Compliant, M/M, Shiro's Fun Year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 08:27:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11032422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demenior/pseuds/Demenior
Summary: Ulaz never dreamed of meeting someone like Shiro.He never counted on falling in love, either.Funny how that works out.





	In Loving Memory

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2: Dreams/Memories

“What is your name, prisoner?” Ulaz asks. He skips through the pages of information on his tablet. This is a new alien species, proven its merit and bloodlust in the Arena. Haggar is interested in seeing how far it can be pushed, though she wants to make sure it lives long enough to deserve the honor of being her plaything.

She's assigned the alien to Ulaz because Ulaz is the best doctor in the fleet. He’s made sure of it.

Social sabotage is all part of the package when dealing with the elite of society. Ulaz just has the skills to exploit secrets, and make assassinations look like crimes of passion or unfortunate accidents.

“It’s Champion,” the alien snarls. It’s fighting it’s restraints, despite the heavy damage to its body. Strong willed. Ulaz can admire that.

“That is what they call you,” Ulaz says, “what is your name?”

The alien pauses, confused, “My… real name?”

“Unless you wish me to call you by your title. We will likely be seeing much of each other,” Ulaz explains, “I would like to call you by name.”

The alien regards him curiously. It has bright, intelligent eyes. Ulaz hasn’t missed how it’s already scanned the room, and that it is slowly working on the restraints on its left wrist. They were weakened by the last prisoner Ulaz treated here.

The alien clears it’s voice, and meets Ulaz’s gaze without any fear, “My name is Shiro, and I’m going to survive this.”

 

* * *

 

Against all odds, Shiro lives. He is merciful, he is humble, he is proud and he is so incredibly strong.

Ulaz sees much of him, and hears even more. Ulaz is only here to observe, to listen and report back to his brotherhood, and he finds as vargas pass his reports consist only of tales of Shiro.

Antok is the one who accuses Ulaz of having feelings for the human, and before long Ulaz cannot receive intel or instructions without some joke about his sordid interest in a strange alien like Shiro.

Ulaz does not mention the night Shiro spent in his lab, healing from a traumatic amputation. Ulaz stood vigil for him, watching his vitals.

He touched Shiro freely for the first time, running his hands through Shiro's short fur on his head. It's what he would do for a cub, and he does not know how Shiro’s kind express affection.

Ulaz carefully avoids mentioning how he can still feel a curious buzz under his skin where he touched Shiro.

He never speaks about how Shiro leaned into his touch, drugged into unconsciousness, and how Ulaz in that moment wanted Shiro to wake up.

 

* * *

 

“You touch me a lot,” Shiro observes.

Ulaz allows Shiro a lot of freedom in the lab. Shiro may be a dangerous prisoner, as he is Haggar’s Champion, undefeated in the Arena, but that is blood sport. Ulaz is highly trained. He doubts Shiro could harm him in a fight.

Currently Shiro is sitting on the lab table, stripped to the waist so Ulaz can place sensors on his skin to read how the quintessence in his prosthetic is affecting his biological rhythms.

Ulaz would like to claim he gives no preferential treatment, but his hand is splayed across Shiro's chest to keep Shiro from losing balance as Shiro leans forwards so Ulaz can attach the sensors on his back.

“Does it make you uncomfortable?” Ulaz asks warily. He and Shiro play a game of acting courteous to one another. Ulaz tries to make Shiro as comfortable as he can, including stalling experiments while Shiro forces himself to accept what he must endure. They are both very aware that Ulaz must hurt or violate Shiro, and will hurt him again, as he is ordered. But Ulaz hopes Shiro recognizes that Ulaz takes no pleasure from it, and does his best to help Shiro avoid pain.

For the most part, they are honest with one another. Shiro accepts that everyone is trapped in their roles, and now that he has stopped seeing Ulaz as a torturer, Ulaz can let him free of his restraints and allow him some sense of freedom. It makes the lab both a sanctuary and a nightmare.

“I don't… think so,” Shiro replies carefully, “it… you're the only one who doesn't hurt me when you touch me.”

 _Usually_ is the word that they both silently fill in. Ulaz trails his claws up Shiro's spine as he finishes, and Shiro shudders.

“That feels nice,” Shiro admits.

Against better judgement, hearing the mocking laughter of the Marmora in his mind, Ulaz repeats the motion.

“Your stress levels are too high,” he finds himself lying, “it is distorting my readings. Let me help you relax.”

Shiro gives him a wry look that Ulaz is sure indicates that he knows Ulaz is lying. But he doesn't say anything. He closes his eyes and let's Ulaz touch him, mapping the lines of Shiro's body with his claw tips and the pads of his palms.

It has the desired effect on Shiro. Touching Shiro has the opposite effect on Ulaz. He dreams of Shiro’s smooth skin and soft sighs for weeks.

 

* * *

 

“You look tense,” Shiro teases him, “maybe I should give _you_ a massage.”

Ulaz’s impulse control always fails in Shiro’s presence.

“If you wish,” he says, and Shiro’s eyes light up.

And like a fool Ulaz allows Shiro to lay him down on the lab table. He lets Shiro touch him and ask questions about his biology. He knows Shiro is storing information, gathering everything he can about his captors. Ulaz is putting himself in a very vulnerable position like this, but he realizes he trusts Shiro.

He thinks Shiro knows that.

Shiro’s hands are soft, and very strong. Ulaz can tell that he is in danger of falling prey to indulgences. It may already be too late.

When he decides he must stop this, turns to Shiro to say their shaky comradery must end, Shiro kisses him.

 

* * *

 

How cruel fate can be. The universe has brought Shiro into his life-- to his operating table. Has let Ulaz study him, speak with him, heal him and fall in love with him. Has let Shiro fall in love with him too. In the depths of hell, they’ve found each other.

Ulaz will never let him go.

“Ulaz I need to get out of here,” Shiro whispers in the dark. In the few moments they have alone, where they can show affection.

“I know,” Ulaz says, “hold a little longer. The Marmora need more information, then I can free us.”

And they’ll be together. That is the plan.

 

* * *

 

Things never go according to plan.

The Marmora have no need for Shiro, do not want an _outsider_ amongst their ranks. They tell Ulaz to release him, send him to earth. He can cause an uprising to distract the Empire forces, and die amongst his own kind. A fitting end, a warrior’s death.

Love is forbidden to the Marmora. It distracts from logic, from duty. Ulaz has carefully written his reports and his praises of Shiro since their first kiss to disguise his feelings, downplay them and hide them. He thinks the Marmora know, anyways. There are eyes and ears everywhere.

Ulaz is sure this is a test.

A means to an end: Ulaz will choose love and betray his own people, his own ideals and everything he has sworn his life to. Or he will choose his duty, his lifes work, and he will let Shiro die with the humans, and be free of the plague of a conflicted heart.

A simple test.

 

* * *

 

Ulaz frees Shiro.

 

* * *

 

His plan is to have everything.

Ulaz sends Shiro to earth-- to give him a chance to save his people. It’s all Shiro wanted, when he heard the Galra were going to earth. He begs Ulaz to find allies, to get help. Ulaz gives Shiro coordinates to find him again, to hopefully draw him from earth and the death that awaits him there.

Ulaz cannot deny Shiro anything, not anymore.

Ulaz goes to the Marmora, he tells them what he has done. And he asks to be sent to earth. He wants to be on the team that steals the Blue Lion from the Empire, and helps save the galaxy.

He wants to go to earth to save Shiro. And they can be happy together.

Ulaz dreams of their happy life. All it takes is a little more patience, a little more planning, and a bit of luck. Shiro just needs to survive until Ulaz can get to him.

 

* * *

 

In the end, Shiro finds him. In a pocket of warped space-time, outside reality, they find each other.

“Ulaz?” Shiro asks, and lowers his deadly arm.

Ulaz could weep with how happy he is to see him. His dreams have come true.

“I remember you,” Shiro gasps, like this is momentous, “you’re the Galra that freed me!”

Freed you and so much more, Ulaz wants to say. But there’s something odd in Shiro’s tone that holds his tongue. Perhaps Shiro must keep their romance a secret from his team as well.

 

* * *

 

Shiro does not know him.

Ulaz resigns himself to this fate. He doesn’t know if he can pretend to be anything less than in love with him. Shiro fell in love with him when their lives forced them together. This life does not. Ulaz wants to believe that Shiro will love him again, but this is the best outcome for them, in the end.

This way, Ulaz can have Shiro and the Marmora.

 

* * *

 

It doesn’t last long.

The Empire comes for them, as they always do. Voltron fights valiantly, and Ulaz would like to be there after the battle. To heal Shiro and return him to good health. To touch him one last time.

But Voltron is losing. And Ulaz can see the simple solution to saving them.

Fate gave him Shiro, took him away, and then brought him back. Ulaz’s wildest dreams came true.

It’s not hard to do his duty, for someone he loves.

**Author's Note:**

> This is vaguely the happier counterpart to my Day 1 story. They both feature similar premises (Ulaz and Shiro falling in love while Shiro is a prisoner and Ulaz is his medic) but this one portrays that relationship as much more consensual and positive
> 
> Days 3&4 are a two-part story that will have a happy ending :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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